Quantum Oscillations and Magnetic Reconstruction in the Delafossite PdCrO$_2$

TL;DR

This study investigates quantum oscillations and magnetic reconstruction in PdCrO$_2$, revealing Fermi surface reconstruction, magnetic transitions, and resistivity behavior up to high temperatures, advancing understanding of its magnetic and electronic properties.

Contribution

It provides detailed quantum oscillation data and models the Fermi surface reconstruction due to magnetic ordering in PdCrO$_2$, a novel insight into its magnetic structure.

Findings

Fermi surface reconstructed by magnetic ordering into a reduced zone.

Magnetic transition under in-plane field similar to spin-flop transition.

Resistivity measured up to 500 K showing high-temperature behavior.

Abstract

We report quantum oscillation data on the metallic triangular antiferromagnet PdCrO$_2$. We find that, to very high accuracy, the observed frequencies of PdCrO$_2$ can be reproduced by reconstruction of the (nonmagnetic) PdCoO$_2$ Fermi surface into a reduced zone. The reduced zone corresponds to a magnetic cell containing six chromium sites, giving a $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ in-plane reconstruction, and $\times 2$ interplane reconstruction. The interplane ordering represents a reduction in lattice symmetry, possibly to monoclinic, and an associated lattice distortion is expected. In addition, we report a magnetic transition under an applied in-plane field that is probably equivalent to the spin-flop transition reported for CuCrO$_2$, and present data on its field-angle dependence. We also report measurements of the resistivity of PdCrO$_2$ up to 500 K.